Breakfast Pizza

Since we introduced it at brunch, this has been a favorite at Alimentari. That’s no surprise because it is basically a breakfast sandwich in pizza form. It’s decadent and comforting, exactly what you want during a long leisurely brunch with friends. Bernardo’s cured lonza, made from pork loin, adds just the right touch of saltiness, much healthier than any greasy bacon alternative.

Serves 2

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Flour, for dusting

1 recipe pizza dough, room temperature

¼ pound fresh mozzarella, roughly torn (about ½ cup)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon chopped oregano

⅛ pound lonza, sliced (approximately 8 slices)

Small handful of arugula

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

2. Place the cherry tomatoes on a small rimmed sheet pan. Toss with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for about 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to burst but are not yet brown. Scrape the tomatoes and any oil onto a plate and transfer them, uncovered, to the refrigerator to cool.

3. On a lightly floured surface, shape the pizza dough into an 8-inch round, according to the method here.

4. Top the dough with cooled cherry tomatoes, liquid and all. Scatter the mozzarella evenly on top. Leave two uncovered spots toward the center of the pizza to crack the eggs into later.

5. Bake the pizza for 8 minutes, until the crust starts to brown around the edges and the cheese melts. Remove the pizza from the oven and crack the eggs into the two uncovered spaces. Return to the oven and bake an additional 7 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the whites of the eggs are set but the yolks are runny.

6. Sprinkle on the oregano. Drape the lonza atop the pie and top with arugula. Slice (avoid bursting the egg yolks) and serve immediately.

“Il Buco is one of the reasons New York is still such a special place.”

—DENISE PORCARO